Possible factors influencing the immunoglobulin G concentration in swine colostrum

The immunoglobulin (Ig) G concentration in swine colostrum was determined by the single radial immunodiffusion method, using 157 samples collected from farm-raised sows in the Yamaguchi Prefecture of Japan during 1976 and 1977. The mean IgG value was 53.03 mg/ml, and the maximum and minimum values were 101.39 mg/ml and 11.74 mg/ml, respectively. The amount of IgG varied greatly among sows. To clarify the possible factors influencing the amount of IgG in colostrum, the following items were surveyed: season, district, breed, age of sows, number of parturitions, udder section from which samples were collected, kind of feed, vaccinations of swine erysipelas live-organism vaccine, hog cholera live-virus vaccine, Japanese encephalitis live-virus vaccine, tramsmissible gastroenteritis liver-virus vaccine, type of farming, and number of sows raised on a farm. Relationships between the amount of IgG in colostrum and each of these 13 items were analyzed. Seemingly, strong correlations with the amounts if IgG in colostrum were found with five items (district, number of parturitions, kind of feed, type of farming, and number of sows). To the contrary, five items (age, udder section, and vaccinations of swine erysipelas live-organism vaccine, hog cholera live-virus vaccine, and Japanese encephalitis live-virus vaccine) had poor correlations. Other items had moderate correlations. The multiple correlation coefficient obtained was 0.5499.     

Molecular characterization of A2 and D strains of Soybean mosaic virus, which caused a recent virus outbreak in soybean cultivar Sachiyutaka in Chugoku and Shikoku regions of Japan

Coat protein sequences of two isolates in strain A₂ and five isolates in strain D of Soybean mosaic virus (SMV), which caused a recent mosaic outbreak in soybeans (cv. Sachiyutaka) in Chugoku and Shikoku in Japan, were compared to published data on 15 other Asian-origin isolates. Sequence comparison and cluster analysis showed that SMV isolates of strain A₂ from these districts were closely related, as were those of strain D, but strains A₂ and D were not. Thus, the two strains may have different origins and be carried through seed transmission.     

Effects of Zeolite on Soil Nutrients and Growth of Barley Following Irrigation with Saline Water

ABSTRACT

Soil salinity is a major abiotic factor limiting crop production but an amendment with synthetic zeolite may mitigate effects of salinity stress on plants. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of zeolite on soil properties and growth of barley irrigated with diluted seawater. Barley was raised on a sand dune soil treated with calcium type zeolite at the rate of 1 and 5% and irrigated every alternate day with seawater diluted to electrical conductivity (EC) levels of 3 and 16 dS m^?1. Irrigation with 16 dS m^?1 saline water significantly suppressed plant height by 25%, leaf area by 44% and dry weight by 60%. However, a substantial increase in plant biomass of salt stressed barley was observed in zeolite-amended treatments. The application of zeolite also enhanced water and salt holding capacity of soil. Post-harvest soil analysis showed high concentrations of calcium (Ca^{2 +}), magnesium (Mg^{2 +}), sodium (Na⁺), and potassium (K⁺) due to saline water especially in the upper soil layer but concentrations were lower in soils treated with zeolite. Zeolite application at 5% increased Ca^{2 +} concentration in salt stressed plants; concentrations of trace elements were also increased by 19% for iron (Fe^{2 +}) and 10% for manganese (Mn^{2 +}). The overall results indicated that soil amendment with zeolite could effectively ameliorate salinity stress and improve nutrient balance in a sandy soil.     

Vulnerability of Community-Based Forest Management to Climate Variability and Extremes: Emerging Insights on the Contribution of REDD+

Climate change spurs havoc on social-ecological system. People and places vulnerable to climate change have been the focus of many discussions. However, in the forestry sector, limited studies have been conducted that link human vulnerability to recent initiatives, such as reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation or REDD+, especially in highly vulnerable countries. Using case studies from the Philippines, this paper focuses on the vulnerability of two community-based forest management (CBFM) organizations, with and without REDD+ readiness intervention, to show the impacts of climate variability and extremes. Two balance-weighted approaches, the livelihood vulnerability index and the IPCC-framework, were used in the vulnerability assessments. Results revealed high vulnerability of both CBFM organizations, although Malitbog Upland Developers for Sustainable Association (MUDSA) livelihood vulnerability is largely aggravated by its exposure to disaster, climate variability and extremes, accessibility to health facilities and water supply. The long history of CBFM implementation in both organizations have minimal contribution in enhancing the adaptive capacity of members to cope with and adapt to climate change impacts. REDD+ (readiness), does not insure reduced vulnerability to climate change, unless sustainable livelihood is achieved. As the State controls forest resources, the rights of CBFM-organizations to commercially benefit from these resources are limited, a disincentive to the development of new and viable development programs in CBFM areas, such as REDD+. This also constrains the achievement of climate resiliency.     

Background level of indium and gallium in soil with special reference to the pollution of the soils from zinc and lead smelters

The mean and range of indium content in unpolluted soils (Humic Andosols, Eutric Fluvisols, and Mollic Gleysols) was found to be 0.037 (0.016–0.078) μg/g dry wt. In soils polluted by common heavy metals, elevated values of indium up to 1.92 μg/g dry wt were observed together with an increase of cadmium, zinc, and lead. In contrast to indium, gallium content in polluted soils was nearly the same as that in unpolluted soils throughout the profiles. The mean and range of gallium content in all unpolluted and polluted samples was 14.2 (12.8–16.3) μg/g dry wt. The indium and gallium contents in 4 Canadian reference soils were also analyzed.     

Breakdown and macroinvertebrate colonization of needle and leaf litter in conifer plantation streams in Shikoku,southwestern Japan

Breakdown and macroinvertebrate colonization of conifer needles (Cryptomeria japonica) and deciduous broadleaves (Euptelea polyandra) were investigated using litter bags in two study sites in streams flowing through a conifer plantation of C. japonica in Shikoku, southwestern Japan (one site with conifer canopy and another with mixed conifer and broadleaved canopy). Breakdown rates and macroinvertebrate densities were compared between litter species (conifer needle vs broadleaf) and between the two sites (conifer vs mixed canopy) to determine (1) whether breakdown rate of broadleaves is higher than conifer needles, (2) whether macroinvertebrates prefer broadleaves to conifer needles, and (3) whether the difference in riparian canopy is reflected in macroinvertebrate abundance. The results indicated that breakdown rates of broadleaves were higher than those of conifer needles, suggesting poorer quality of the latter as food for macroinvertebrates. Differences in macroinvertebrate density between needles and broadleaves were generally consistent with those in breakdown rates: broadleaves tended to have higher densities than needles, suggesting that conifer needles were not preferred by macroinvertebrates. However, total macroinvertebrate density in the conifer site was not significantly different from that in the mixed site, although the dominant shredder taxon differed (conifer site: gammarids; mixed site: lepidostomatids). Although conifer needles are low-quality food for macroinvertebrates, this may offer some advantages. Conifer needles remain on the streambed for longer periods owing to their lower breakdown rates, being a constantly available resource. In addition, accumulations of conifer litter may effectively trap and retain particulate organic matter.     

Characterization of an Alginate Lyase,FlAlyA, from Flavobacterium sp. Strain UMI-01 and Its Expression in Escherichia coli

A major alginate lyase, FlAlyA, was purified from the periplasmic fraction of an alginate-assimilating bacterium, Flavobacterium sp. strain UMI-01. FlAlyA showed a single band of ~30 kDa on SDS-PAGE and exhibited the optimal temperature and pH at 55 °C and pH 7.7, respectively. Analyses for substrate preference and reaction products indicated that FlAlyA was an endolytic poly(mannuronate) lyase (EC 4.2.2.3). A gene fragment encoding the amino-acid sequence of 288 residues for FlAlyA was amplified by inverse PCR. The N-terminal region of 21 residues except for the initiation Met in the deduced sequence was predicted as the signal peptide and the following region of six residues was regarded as propeptide, while the C-terminal region of 260 residues was regarded as the polysaccharide-lyase-family-7-type catalytic domain. The entire coding region for FlAlyA was subjected to the pCold I—Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) expression system and ~eight times higher yield of recombinant FlAlyA (recFlAlyA) than that of native FlAlyA was achieved. The recFlAlyA recovered in the periplasmic fraction of E. coli had lost the signal peptide region along with the N-terminal 3 residues of propeptide region. This suggested that the signal peptide of FlAlyA could function in part in E. coli.     

Compressive and tensile properties of a butt-jointed lamination model

A study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of glue application and placement of butt-joints on the compressive and tensile properties in a butt-jointed lamination. The aim was to provide background information for producing butt-jointed, glued, laminated timber. Three butt-jointed lamination models were prepared from spruce-pine-fir (S-P-F) dimension lumber with glued and nonglued butt joints, with different placements of the butt joints in the models. The axial stiffness and strength properties were assessed using both compressive and tensile tests. The results of the study indicated that for the compressive lamination model the application of glue at the butt joint gave more stiffness than the nonglued butt joint. Neither glue application nor placement of the joint had a statistically significant effect on the compressive strength. There were no significant differences between the glued and nonglued butt joint for either tensile strength or stiffness.